Abstract

The polio epidemic occurred during the time Professor Golding served at the Kingston Public Hospital. This was an opportune time for him to form the rehabilitation center to make those affected by the polio pandemic become physically functional again, disability rehabilitation. It is the only Hospital of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean that provides rehabilitation to individuals afflicted with polio. This paper evaluated the impact of macroeconomic indicators on physical medicine and rehabilitation hospitalization in Jamaica, using data panel data from 2006-2015. The economic environment has an influence on physical medicine and rehabilitation hospitalization. While there are areas of complexities that need more scientific enquiry, policy makers and health care practitioners need to label a ‘bad economic climate’ as a disease, recognize its influence on illhealth choices and plan for it in physical medicine and rehabilitation.